Beach review

Banana, berries, coconut water, chia seeds.  REPEAT.

Burleigh Heads beach

Noosa beach

Zimmermann 'Lucia' embroidered playsuit, now on SALEEEE

Spinning on the balcony until she's dizzy 

I love that the new year break coincides with summer.  After the manic lead up it's nice to spend time with family, reflect on the year that was (for me it was a significant year in my career, that I've worked so hard towards).  2016 will demand even more of it.  It's lovely to regroup by the ocean, swim, hike, write lots of lists (including recipes and meal plans for the inevitable and dreaded return to work and reality), reassess my goals and development areas and soak in every second with my baby girl.

I'm hoping to do just a little bit more in 2016

• be a little bit more active.
• plan and in return eat better.
• visit some new places.
• learn and study. READ.
• I am also doing a major home refurbishment and declutter this year.  Replacing linen and some furniture.  I've been inspired after reading the KonMari decluttering book and have signed up to the Apartment Therapy January Cure project which I will begin when I get back home.  When all the corporate day job and parenting is done and Friday night arrives I collapse in a heap.  As KonMari says, the less stuff you have, the less you have to put away.  True!
• keep on top of my emails/unsubscribe from some MORE mailing lists.
• wake up a little earlier to tackle the menial tasks. I'm exhausted by nights end and things are often left to hang over my head and cause me to wake up at 3am in a panic
• be a bit more patient.  Holidaying in a small place when living in a big place shows me just how rushed I always am.  
• put away the phone, yeah!
• let go of the guilt that I am not enough.  Enough of a parent, friend, colleague, cook.  Nobody can be all things to all people.
• be present in the moment a little bit more.

Wishing you all a year filled with kindness, adventure and happy memories. 

"Rest is not idleness, and to lay sometimes on the grass under the tree on a summer's day, listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky is by no means a waste of time" ~ John Lubbocks

On holiday

Playing in the sand 

1.2km of stairs at 5am. 

Colour

The best spot to enjoy hot lemon water at 5am

Chambray love.  Wearing it every day.

Stirring mum a drink

Sunrise from QT hotel

Grocer & Grind 

I don't think I realised how tired and burnt out I was until the stress of going on holiday was over. Repeated illness and running on empty. Not enough sleep. Not enough hours in the day. I was pulling myself together and faking it with good shoes and make up. That's just what you do. We all live in the same world. Attached to our phones and emails and petrified of people's reactions if we cannot be reached right then and there. Going on holidays stressed me out. Being away and having to pack to go away didn't seem worth it. I made a giant list of toddler necessities I needed to pack and another list of "maybe I also need this stuff just in case" which left room for about 3 outfits for me to wear for 3 weeks. And it's damn awesome to open up a suitcase and not have to make a choice about what to wear that day. I was up before 5 most days. I ran up countless stairs. I enjoyed sunshine and amazing food. I loved the early morning rising and early night routine. I even managed a siesta or two (or six).  There's a reason why we go on holiday.  I've already booked my next one.

"every summer has a story"

Happy Australia Day!  I am so thankful to live in this country and grateful that today is a public holiday.  I was not ready to face work today - I'm tired and battling a cold.  Not the best combination.  Copious amounts of water are my friend this morning.

This weekend always seems to signal the end of summer for me, even though in Melbourne the warmest days are still ahead.  The parties seem to die down and everyone has already headed back to work.  The shops begin to bring out sweaters and leather.  WAAAAAY too soon.  

I was lucky to escape to the beach for a while this summer.  Ari loves the ocean just as much as I do.  I have had so many crazy thoughts running my head that I really needed a get away.  It came just at the right time and was calming in every way.  The baby forced the pace to slow down.  Throw in some naps and an 8pm bed time for all of us.  It was perfect.

A very early morning swim - Sportsgirl panama hat, Seafolly beach bag

Ari pondering life 

Chicken tacos. So simple and so good.

Rounding off 2013 with a mojito

Perfection on a plate. Flourless chocolate cake.

Massimo;s Gelateria - I always have the same thing when I try out a new icecreamery - hazelnut and tiramisu.

Literally the only things I used - a cheap kaftan, Kindle touch, Zimmermann bikini, Kiehl creme de corps, Kiehl midnight recovery oil, Nivea spray sunscreen, Korres fig body wash and ASAP eye cream and SPF moisturizer.  So liberating. 

Beach life

Nothing better than the grin on the face of a child when they're in the ocean. 

Burleigh Heads Monday

It's been summer in QLD since the middle of winter. Although always warm in these parts it's been unseasonably warm. Not that my cold bones complain. Ari had her first ever ocean swim and I literally took 4 giant beach bags of "just in case" supplies with me. One must always overpack when doing any activity with a baby.

Dipping toes in crystal clear water.

Ari wears a Cotton On Kids top and plays with Sophie.

"The summer night is like a perfection of thought" ~ Wallace Stevens

Maybe it's just me, but does summer seem to pass way too fast; while during winter, I count the slow, cold seconds.  This summer has been immensely enjoyable and the fact that we had some real and proper hot weather may have had something to do with it.  I've continued to purge my life of unnecessary STUFF (yes a common theme in my life over the past 12 months) and have made do with what I've got.  Sure I come across plenty of stuff I love, plenty of stuff I want, but when I think about it for a moment it quickly dawns on me that I don't really NEED it.  I have replaced these thoughts in my mind with great tea, iced coffee, summer fruits and going for a swim at the beach when distraction strikes. 

I had a rare day off on Sunday, where I cancelled all my commitments and appointments and went with the flow.  Sleeping in is a skill that I unfortunately greatly lack, so after forcing myself to stay in bed until 9am, I made a small stack of crispy cremes, filled with orange mascarpone and topped with berries and bananas. So easy and so yummy.  Recipe was posted here.

Following breakfast, I went for a swim at the beach.  I'm not sure I love many things more than floating around in the ocean weightlessly, relaxing on a towel in the shade afterwards and talking to my husband without any distractions from our numerous electronic devices which connect us to the world endlessly.  They are all at home!

 

Since receiving my iPad last month as a very generous gift (thanks daddy) I've tried to move onto reading my favourite publications electronically.  I'm fine with getting my daily news hit via the numerous news outlet apps that I have already acquired, but it may take me a while to enjoy magazines without the smell of fresh print laying on my coffee table.

  

I rounded off my Sunday with a trip to the cinema to see Anna Karenina.  I walked in with zero expectations and walked out having really enjoyed it.  It held it's ground thanks to the amazing costumes and wonderful casting.  I recommend it highly, whether you've read the book or not.

It's beginning to look a lot like summer.. holidays

A bit of a respite cannot come quickly enough for me.  I am tired. Really tired.  Nothing is more tranquil than a calm and clean house and the smell of something delicious baking in the oven, however that all falls by the wayside when you're working 16 hour days and all you can do at home is have a hot shower (while sitting down from exhaustion) and sleep like a log.  I had the heater on last night while Melbourne was being moody with the weather.  Lets face it, we went to the beach on Saturday, so we have to get some cold days in for good measure. 

I am preparing for my parents visit later this month (the guest bedroom is an ongoing project I tell you) and then jetting off somewhere extremely hot for two weeks in January.  I do love this time of year.  Hopefully I am well enough for another clean and declutter and Christmas decorating.  And remind me to send my Christmas cards out...

Reef smells like summer

Holiday attire

$12 sarong from a Burleigh Heads news agent.

Last weekend of winter

 

  

Green door at Redcliffe

 

 

Sea shells at Burleigh Heads

 

 

Surfers from Burleigh

 

When the real life gets the better of me I'm fortunate enough to be able to escape and spend time with my parents, who love doing the same thing as I do - hanging out by the beach.  The winter dragged on, like it usually does, so I spent the last weekend of August (also being the last day of winter) on the Gold Coast, doing a huge coastal walk at Burleigh Heads and lounging in the 26C warmth.  It was the best holiday ever, even if it was only 48 hours long.

This year has truly flown by, maybe a little bit too quickly.  It dawned on me yesterday when I ordered my new Moleskine diary for 2013 (it's all about the Peanuts limited edition!!).  But with a new diary comes the permission to plan my annual holiday in January! Can't complain about that.

Also, right now I'm trying to organise my mum's 50th birthday, which is next month.  If anyone has any ideas for what I should do and buy, please share them with me... I've got the cake ordered and I've also got the 50 red roses lined up (my mum adores flowers)... but I'm stumped on a proper gift... HEEEELP!